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leveling a toilet

03-20-2009, 01:49 AM

I just bought a toilet and installed it but its not level. I put some plastic shims under it that i bought from home depot. I had to double up on the shims to get the toilet level and i think it raised the wax ring off, so i uninstalled the toilet. I got a slightly bigger wax ring as a replacement. My question is..

can i put one shim on top of another to get the toilet level?
there will be about half an inch gap when shimmed level how will i caulk this?
should i even worry about the toilet not being totally level?

Well, it sounds to me like the problem is that the floor is not level.

If you are unwilling to correct that because of the expense involved, then yes, you can shim as necessary to level the toilet provided you can still get a good seal at the wax ring, and will (as you have found) have a big gap to caulk. The toilet will likely function fine if it is not quite level, though it will be a little wierd to sit on. You'll just have to decide if you prefer an iffy wax seal and a big gap to caulk or a kittywampus toilet if you can't afford to step up and do it right and fix the floor.

This is my reminder to myself that no good will ever come from discussing politics or religion with anyone, ever.

Comment

Shimming is needed when a toilet rocks most importantly.If it is a little off but solid to the floor you may not have to worry.If it bugs you ....its way crooked, the trick is set it first with no ring,figure out your shims,then reset the toilet with shims in place and wax.
Then,lots of caulk.

Comment

i was taught to shim a toilette with a piece of lead, either cut a small piece of solder or a bit of the excess from a stub or repair sleeve give it a little smack with a hammer and its perfectly tapered , it will never rot and can be made very small and discreet, my experience is that a rocking toilette will end up cracking at the bolts it may not be today or tomorrow but one day youll have a "husky" inlaw or friend lean towards the tp holder or magazine rack and youll be buying a new base or complete. i was also taught that caulking around the base of a toilette is a bad thing, if you have a leak under the toilette youll never notice until the ceiling downtairs is leaking blue water that stinks of piss. (if theres a downstairs and u use blue aditive)

hot on the left, cold on the right... so hot ladies to the left and cold drinks to the right? lets hope gravity keeps em down all night!

Comment

I've never heard of the plaster of paris setting method, I like that and will try it. I was taught, by a Master Plumber, to never caulk under the base of a toilet. His reasoning was that if there ever were a seal leak you would not know it until it was too late. Now, mind you, that this was back before they started using concrete floors in our area. All floors back then were wooden with most home having the old 3/4 x 4 T&G boards laid on a bias to the joist, plywood came along later. I recently pulled a toilet in an 8 year old townhouse with concrete floor, caulked toilet, and the vinyl flooring was buckled up from water damage. The owners had no idea the buckling was from the toilet seal leaking. Thanks, David

Comment

[quote=timmydsuperstar;218481] i was also taught that caulking around the base of a toilette is a bad thing, if you have a leak under the toilette youll never notice until the ceiling downtairs is leaking blue water that stinks of piss. (if theres a downstairs and u use blue aditive)[/quote thats a code requirment!!

i was also taught that caulking around the base of a toilette is a bad thing, if you have a leak under the toilette youll never notice until the ceiling downtairs is leaking blue water that stinks of piss. (if theres a downstairs and u use blue aditive)[/quote thats a code requirment!!